The present invention relates to hood assemblies comprising top and side panels for use eg for enclosing the engine of a vehicle, eg a utility vehicle such as an agricultural tractor or an industrial vehicle such as a backhoe loader.
It is known for the engine hoods of agricultural tractors to be hinged at the rear, normally in the region of the rear of the top panel, so that the hood can be simply lifted in one piece to provide easy access to the engine and associated components.
A problem with this sort of system arises when the side panels of the hood taper inwardly towards the bottom. In this case it is possible for the engine or other components normally enclosed within the hood to prevent the hood assembly being raised unless the side panels or portions of them are first removed.